The View From Hillsborough – Central New Jersey History and Views

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Then and Now

Fountains of all kinds were a major attraction at Duke Farms a century ago when the Hillsborough, New Jersey estate of tobacco tycoon James B. Duke was still popularly known as Duke’s Park. So important were the water displays that Duke wouldn’t even consider having the grounds open to the public unless all of the fountains and falls were operational.

Vista Lake Fountains, postcard circa 1915

It was eventually decided that the park would only be open to the public on Tuesdays and Fridays. The stated reason for the reduction was the unruly behavior of some guests, but it was also noted that the fountains would only be active while the park was open – no doubt saving a great deal of money.

New Brunswick Daily Home News, May 31, 1910

New Brunswick Daily Home News, September 19, 1910

If you take a walk on Fox Hollow Lane along the lower drive around Vista Lake you may still imagine the sight of the magnificent fountains with the overflow cascading down over the stone embankment. No wonder the editor of the New Brunswick Daily Home News decried the lack of access to the working people of central New Jersey!

The view from Fox Hollow Lane across Vista Lake at Duke Farms, April 2015

The lower drive around the lake must have been a favorite of James B. Duke and his wife Nanaline. They can be seen alighting from their coach near the underpass of the bridge in the second scene shown in the excerpts of Doris Duke’s home movies. Take a look.

Hoo Doo? Who knew? The bridge on Habitiat Lane over the small creek is Hoo Doo Bridge – at least according to the circa 1906 postcard below. You can clearly see from the postcard how the estate was carefully landscaped at one time, and how much of it was left to grow in naturally over the years.

A summer house is a place to enjoy a cool respite on a warm day. The one at Duke Farms along Overlook Way delivers just that – and even provided refreshment in the form of well water when it first came into use at J.B. Duke’s Hillsborough Estate over a century ago.

Summer House at Duke’s Park, postcard circa 1906

The well-preserved well house is one of many still standing at Duke Farms, although most are located outside the “historic core” of the property. Stop by and escape the sun next time you are at the Farms.

The next time you hike or bike at Duke Farms, you may want to venture to the far northern end of the “historic core” – essentially the area of the property bounded by the deer fence. A stroll along Overlook Way – also called Lover’s Lane a century ago – affords views across the Riparian Wetland Conservation Area towards the Raritan River.

The Drive below Overlook Way, postcard view circa 1906

Walking west, turn down the driveway on your right before you reach the Coach Barn and peer through the chain link fence. Can you picture the scene above from the 1906 postcard? If you can’t find it, I have photographed it for you, below.

The Drive below Overlook Way at Duke Farms, April 2015

The watercourse is still there. This was part of the lake system which took water from the lowest lake – Snake Lake, west of the residence – back to the Raritan River. The stone bridge is still there too, but impossible to see clearly from this view – even in early spring. I took a photo of the bridge looking down in the opposite direction from Overlook Way, which you can see below.

One building that hasn’t changed much at Duke Farms is the Coach Barn. Completed in 1900, it was the first major building to be constructed on the property. The building provided space for stables and coaches, as well as an office for J.B. Duke and his farm manager.

The Coach Barn and Stables at Duke’s Park, postcard circa 1906

The Coach Barn is occasionally open to the public. Murals depicting hunting scenes on four continents feature in the center court area, where you can also find Doris Duke’s 1949 Cadillac.

According to the Duke Farms web site, J.B. Duke constructed well houses at Duke’s Park in two phases, the first beginning in 1903, then again in 1906. Wells were dug, then surrounded by a variety of structures – it appears that no two well houses are alike. Many are still standing today, including this imposing dome of stone arches along West Way near the North Gate.

West Way Well House from a circa 1915 postcard

The only way to capture this scene is to shoot it during the winter or early spring. The grounds today are nothing like the manicured landscaping of a century ago!

The falls from Vista Lake down to Otter Lake at Duke Farms was somewhat more impressive a century ago, don’t you think? For those keeping score, Vista Lake is 45 feet above the Raritan River, Otter Lake is 31. Duke Reservoir, where J.B. Duke’s lake system begins, is at 81 feet.

It’s a pretty long walk just from the Visitor’s Center at Duke Farms to the Hay Barn – over half a mile, I think. A century ago you could stop and have a drink at the rustic Well House, just off the path on the right.

Well House and Hay Barn, postcard circa 1909

Today you can still see the capped well and the ruins of the Hay Barn just beyond.

Remains of the Well House and Hay Barn at Duke Farms, March 2015

This area of Duke’s Park had another important feature – a beautiful bronze reproduction of Giambologna’s 16th century Flying Mercury.

This “Then and Now” surprised me. Despite walking past the Farnese Bull dozens of times, I never noticed that at least two of the figures are completely missing! The leftmost person has obviously disappeared, and if you look closely you may notice that a dog at the bottom right of the sculpture is also absent (along with the bull’s right foreleg).

The Farnese Bull, postcard circa 1910

This impressive piece is a bronze copy of an early third century marble sculpture. Created from one solid piece of marble, the Roman sculpture was excavated in 1546 and, according to Wikipedia, is “the largest single sculpture ever recovered from antiquity to date.”

The Farnese Bull at Duke Farms, 2015

It seems to be impossible to capture the scene today from the same viewpoint because of the trees growing almost right up against the base of the bronze sculpture, but I came as close as I could without obscuring the boys.